Working Paper

Effects of old-age insurance on female retirement : evidence from cross-country time-series data

Abstract: I examine the effect of Old-Age Insurance (OAI) on older women?s labour-force participation in fourteen countries since around 1930. Older women?s participation has risen in the US, but has fallen over time in some European countries. The discontinuity of incentives at the state pension age helps separate OAI?s effects from those of social mores and husbands? retirements. Clear effects of OAI on female retirement emerge slowly in time series. I find that, were Germany to adopt the US Social Security system, the participation rate of German women aged 60-4 would increase by 7 percentage points.

Bibliographic Information

Provider: Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City

Part of Series: Research Working Paper

Publication Date: 2001

Number: RWP 01-08